This invention relates to an article processing facility that includes an article carrier movable along a track extending by way of an article transfer location corresponding to an article processing apparatus. An article gripper is provided on the article carrier. The article gripper is movable vertically and switchable between a holding state for holding an article and a release state for releasing the article. An operation controller is provided for controlling the traveling operation of the article carrier so that it stops at the article transfer location when unloading an article from or loading an article to an article loading and unloading station of the article processing apparatus. The operation controller also controls vertical movement of the article gripper and switching of the article gripper between the holding state and the release state when delivering an article to the article loading and unloading station or receiving an article from the article loading and unloading station.
In a conventional example of an article processing facility, an article rack that temporarily stores an article is disposed adjacent and at one side of the track such that an article can be transferred to and from the article carrier that is standing still in the article transfer location. The article carrier has a transverse movement operating mechanism for transversely moving a lift member to a position adjacent and lateral of the track. The article carrier is constructed, when it is standing still in the article transfer location, to deliver an article to and receive an article from the article rack. The operation controller is configured to control transverse movement operation of the transverse movement operating mechanism, lift operation of the article gripper, and switching of the article gripper between the holding state and the release state, so that, when an article for loading is to be delivered to the article loading and unloading station but an article for unloading is present at the article loading and unloading station, the article for loading is stored temporarily the article rack, and thereafter the article for unloading present at the article loading and unloading station is transported to a target transporting location (see Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. 2006-54389, for example).
In the above conventional article processing facility, after transporting the article for unloading from the article loading and unloading station to the target transporting location, the article carrier must return to the location of the article rack temporarily holding the article for loading.
The above publication describes controlling of operation of the article carrier where a plurality of article racks are arranged adjacent the article loading and unloading station for temporarily storing articles. After temporarily storing an article for loading, an article for unloading present at the article loading and unloading station is temporarily stored on the article rack other than the article rack temporarily storing the article for loading. Then, the article for loading temporarily stored is transferred to the article loading and unloading station.
With a plurality of article racks arranged adjacent the article transfer location for temporarily storing articles, as noted above, the article carrier holding an article for loading can transfer the article for loading to the article loading and unloading station even when an article for unloading is present at the article loading and unloading station. This attains diversification of article handling modes by the article carrier.
In the above conventional article processing facility, where a plurality of article racks are arranged adjacent the article loading and unloading station for temporarily storing articles, it is conceivable from the description of FIG. 9 of Japanese Patent No. 3067656 referred to in the above publication that the article racks are arranged forward and rearward of the article loading and unloading station of the article treating apparatus with respect to the direction of movement of the article carrier.
However, the above conventional article processing facility has the following problem since one article rack for temporary storage is disposed adjacent and at one side of, or a plurality of article racks are arranged forward and rearward along, the track.
Where one article rack for temporary storage is disposed adjacent and at one side of the track, as noted hereinbefore, in order to transfer an article for loading to the article loading and unloading station, the article carrier holding no article must run to the article transfer location. In this case, the article carrier having deposited the article for loading for temporary storage does the job after finishing some other process, or a different article carrier is assigned to the job. In any case, a new article transporting command regarding the article treating apparatus is necessary in order to transfer the article for loading temporarily stored to the article loading and unloading station. Thus, a decrease occurs in the number of article carriers which can be assigned to article transporting commands relating to other article treating apparatus, among a limited number of article carriers. This lowers capability of processing in parallel for a plurality of article processing apparatus, and worsens carrying efficiency as a whole.
Where a plurality of article racks for temporary storage are arranged adjacent and at one side of the track, and forward and rearward with respect to the direction of movement of the article carrier, assuming, for example, that an article for loading is temporarily stored on the article rack located upstream in the direction of the movement of the article carrier, the operation controller controls operation of the article carrier as follows in order to transfer the article temporarily stored for loading to the article loading and unloading station.
After temporarily storing the article for loading on the upstream article rack with the article carrier standing still in a stopping position for this article rack, the article carrier is moved forward to the article transfer location to receive an article for unloading present at the article loading and unloading station. Then, the article carrier is moved forward to a stopping position for the downstream article rack, and stopped in the stopping position to store the article for unloading temporarily on the downstream article rack. Then, the article carrier is moved backward or moved around to the stopping position for the upstream article rack temporarily storing the article for loading, and stopped in this stopping position to fetch article for loading temporarily stored on the upstream article rack, Subsequently, the article carrier is moved forward to the article transfer location to deliver the article for loading to the article loading and unloading station.
Thus, where a plurality of article racks for temporary storage are arranged adjacent and at one side of the track, and forward and rearward with respect to the direction of movement of the article carrier, traveling operation of the article carrier is required for each of the processes for temporary storage of the article for loading, temporary storage of the article for unloading, fetching of the article for loading, and transfer of the article for loading. A long time is taken before the article for loading is finally delivered to the article loading and unloading station, thereby worsening carrying efficiency.
Further, in the conventional article processing facility, when temporarily storing an article on an article rack, the transverse movement operating mechanism moves the article gripper horizontally to place the article gripper over on the article rack disposed adjacent and at one side of the track, and to move the article gripper vertically in that state. In order to avoid the influence of swinging occurring after the horizontal movement of the article gripper is completed, a certain standby time may be needed before starting vertical movement in a position for temporary storage operation. This can also extend the time required for loading and unloading articles to and from the article loading and unloading station.